English Heritage offers carers free entry at all sites

English Heritage has over 400 historic properties to visit including abbeys, castles, ruins, stately homes and palaces. There are regular events at many properties, including family activities, talks and tours. It is a large organization with an aspiring Access for All Policy:

“Good access is more than just making physical changes at a property, it also means making the stories we tell understandable and relevant for as many people as possible, and making everyone feel welcome at our sites”.

To find detailed accessibility information about a specific property, find the information page of the property on the English Heritage site and click on the Access button the left side of the page.

Some properties are free to visit, whilst other charge admission. Yearly memberships start at £39 for students, including NUS card holders and seniors and £49 for an adult. Lifetime memberships are also available for adults. There is no membership discount for adults with a disability, but a companion or carer is admitted free of charge. Members also receive additional benefits: All children under 19 years are admitted free (up to 6 children with one adult), some events are restricted to members only, members receive a printed handbook as well as a quarterly magazine.

The English Heritage does not normally issue a card for a carer like the National Trust, but it is possible to call and ask for a letter to be drawn up stating that one free accompanying adult is admitted instead of having to ask at entry. It is often easier for anyone with an invisible disability or who have difficulty communicating to have an official letter to hand over instead of having to ask for a free ticket.

About The Author

Lily grew up in South Africa. After obtaining her degree in the beautiful wine region of Stellenbosch, she came to England for a holiday where she met Chris -and so she stayed. She worked for the NHS and then as a private consultant providing SEN focused training in primary schools across England and Wales. She got married, moved to Wiltshire and now lives near Stonehenge with Chris, their sensible seven-year-old Cass, disabled cat Jade and orange tiger (or so he insists), Nimitz.